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View Full Version : The super duper *Speed Ramps*



justagrrl
06-11-2002, 03:21 PM
You know the ramps - the "speed ramp" from to and from the monorail and the one that leads out of the Haunted Mansion...

Why aren't they ever running anymore?

(I really liked the monorail one that, if you stood on it right in the right pair of shoes, gave you sort of a rolling foot massage. ;) )

HBDisneyPrincess
06-11-2002, 03:32 PM
Ah, I remember the rolling foot massage. I first discovered it on the ramp to the people mover...:crying:

HBTiggerFan
06-11-2002, 07:31 PM
You can get a shoe polish on teh ones for the parking structure.

Imagine if those ever quit running. They would need more elevators.

On that note, why are the directions backwards? On normal esclators down is on the left and up is on the right (I think)

Disney Nick
06-11-2002, 08:04 PM
In a "normal" escalator the direction you want to travel is usually to your right. If you're on the top, down is on the right. If you're on the ground, up is on your right.

Uncle Dick
06-11-2002, 09:20 PM
Originally posted by justagrrl
You know the ramps - the "speed ramp" from to and from the monorail and the one that leads out of the Haunted Mansion...

Why aren't they ever running anymore?
Don't forget the ones in Space Mountain!

They still run on occasion. I think the problem is that once they break down, they're down for the day, until Facilities can get in and start em up again. I could be wrong, though.


Originally posted by HB Tigger Fan
Imagine if those ever quit running. They would need more elevators.
They do quit running every now and then when some idiot presses the emergency stop button and/or they just break down. Then they just function as a normal staircase.


On that note, why are the directions backwards? On normal esclators down is on the left and up is on the right (I think)
All escalators in M&F are bi-directional, but the standard configuration does seem to work as NMoreles described.

HBTiggerFan
06-11-2002, 10:26 PM
I understand that they would work as a normal staircase when they quit working, and I have been at the top of Donald when some little kid pushed the button and walked down. But I would not want to walk up Donald after a long day at the park.

blusilva
06-11-2002, 11:01 PM
The Speed Ramps of Tomorrow are sadly not of Today. I thought Today was Tomorrow, but I guess I was wrong.

As for those escalators....I've walked down them as well and it's trippy. After about 20 steps, looking at the straight lines makes my eyes go all wonky. I'm surprised I haven't tripped and tumbled down the whole way. I'm a spaz like that.

Iceman
06-11-2002, 11:53 PM
It's amazing how it seems physically HARDER to walk up a stationary escalator than a normal set of stairs, isn't it! :)

Darkbeer
06-12-2002, 12:12 AM
Well, since the stairs are close to twice the height of a regular staircase, yes, you are required to use more physical strength due to the fact you have to lift your legs higher!!!!!

As for the speed ramps, I have not seen any of them working in the last few years I have been to the resort (and I have an AP)...

Iceman
06-12-2002, 11:26 AM
Boy, the steps don't seem THAT much higher! Is that right?

Hyperboy
06-12-2002, 11:31 AM
I thought the "rule" was that only one speedramp can be working in the park at any given time ;)

I've been going to DL ever since I was a little kid, and then around 25+ times a year for the last few years -- and I have only seen the Space Mountain speedramp working four times. It's like a momentous occassion to my Disneywarped mind :D

MonorailMan
06-13-2002, 02:10 PM
Ahh- Sppedramps. The Memories! I've fallen on both the Space Mountain, and HM speedramps! If The Monorail One ever runs again, I'll have to fall there too! :)

Cadaverous Pallor
06-14-2002, 08:41 AM
In my experience, the speedramp at the Mansion exit is almost always working. You can get the rolling foot massage there. ;) I haven't seen the Space Mountain one work in a while. But this is definitely luck of the draw, I think.

Speaking of the escalators - GD and I have a funny story. We got to the structure at the end of the day. There was an empty plastic Gatorade bottle sitting on the handrail section of the escalators (between the moving handrail and the wall). As we got on the escalator, GD grabbed the bottle and slid it up the side with us. I believe we were on the tallest escalator. We got higher and higher and of course we decided to let it go when we got to the top. :D We thought it would slide down at tremendous speed and shoot out at the bottom. We made sure there was no one at the bottom to get hit, and let it slide. It went really fast, all the way down that chute next to the handrail, but as it leveled out at the bottom, the friction and the shape of the bottle stopped it just in time before it could fall to the ground. It was right back where we had found it! Pretty obvious that someone else had tried the same thing. Too funny.